Hi Does any one know what is wrong with these apples? Is this what was posted as apple maggot or coddling moth? What is the best way to prevent it next year? Koko
It looks like Coddling Moth exit holes with frass (fecal matter). Coddling Moth is a difficult pest to manage, especially by organic means. There are pesticide sprays to kill the adult moths and the caterpillars. Here is some more information about the pest from the BC Gov't. http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/tfipm/codlingmoth.htm There recently has been some suggestion that using special stretchy nylon bags over the fruit very early in the season thru to ripening can prevent a large portion of the damage from this pest. You should check out the UBC Apple Festival on Oct 13th and 14th. There will be several fruit tree experts from the BC Fruit Testers Association on site as well as displays on various subjects (including pest management). http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/community/001916.php
Codling moth (CM) is what commercial orchard spraying programs are built around, but it takes an intensive process of figuring degree days, hatch times, and repeated sprayings. For the homeowner a barrier method is the only viable option. Nylon "footies" or plastic zip-lock baggies with the two bottom corners snipped off about 1/2" are slipped over the apples when they are about dime to quarter size. Many growers report getting their first perfect fruit this way, and it is done en masse in China. Applenut
